Shoe and sole

Abstract

The present invention relates to shoe, in particular a sports shoe. The shoe includes a sole plate having in a forefoot area a plurality of leaf spring elements, wherein the sole plate and the plurality of leaf spring elements are manufactured as a single piece. Each of the plurality of leaf spring elements has one free end not connected with the sole plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
 a sole plate comprising a plurality of leaf springs disposed in a rearfoot area of the sole plate and a plurality of leaf springs disposed in a forefoot area of the sole plate, 
 wherein each of the plurality of leaf springs has a connection end connected to the sole plate and an end not directly connected to the sole plate, and where all ends not directly connected to the sole plate point in substantially the same direction, 
 wherein two or more leaf springs disposed adjacent to each other on the sole plate in a transverse direction between a lateral side of the sole plate and a medial side of the sole plate are integrally joined to form a single end not directly connected to the sole plate, and wherein the single end not directly connected to the sole plate extends from the lateral side of the sole plate to the medial side of the sole plate. 
 
     
     
       2. The sole of  claim 1 , further comprising an outsole layer that interconnects the ends not directly connected to the sole plate of at least two leaf springs. 
     
     
       3. The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more leaf springs that are integrally joined to form a single end are disposed in the rearfoot area of the sole plate. 
     
     
       4. The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the sole plate and the plurality of leaf springs disposed in the rearfoot area of the sole plate and in the forefoot area of the sole plate are integrally formed. 
     
     
       5. The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the ends not directly connected to the sole plate are pointed in substantially the same direction such that the end of each leaf spring not directly connected to the sole plate is disposed rearward of its connection end. 
     
     
       6. The sole of  claim 1 , further comprising an outsole layer disposed on the single end of the two or more integrally joined leaf springs. 
     
     
       7. The sole of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more leaf springs that are integrally joined to form a single end not directly connected to the sole plate are disposed in the forefoot area of the sole plate. 
     
     
       8. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
 a sole plate comprising a plurality of leaf springs disposed in a rearfoot area of the sole plate and a plurality of leaf springs disposed in a forefoot area of the sole plate, wherein each of the plurality of leaf springs has a connection end connected to the sole plate and a free end not directly connected to the sole plate, and wherein all the free ends are oriented in substantially the same direction such that the free end of each leaf spring is disposed rearward of its connection end; and 
 an outsole layer comprising a plurality of separate connection portions, each connection portion interconnecting the free ends of two or more leaf springs, wherein the free ends of at least two leaf springs are interconnected by a connection portion that extends in a transverse direction from a lateral side of the sole plate to a medial side of the sole plate. 
 
     
     
       9. The sole of  claim 8 , wherein leaf springs arranged in the rearfoot area of the sole plate are longer and have a greater distance between their free ends and the sole plate than leaf springs arranged in the forefoot area of the sole plate. 
     
     
       10. The sole of  claim 8 , wherein all the leaf springs disposed on the sole plate have free ends oriented in substantially the same direction such that the free end of each leaf spring is disposed rearward of its connection end. 
     
     
       11. The sole of  claim 8 , wherein the at least two leaf springs that are interconnected by the connection portion are disposed adjacent to each other on the sole plate in a transverse direction between the lateral side of the sole plate and the medial side of the sole plate. 
     
     
       12. A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
 a sole plate comprising a plurality of leaf spring groups comprising two or more leaf springs, each leaf spring having a connection end connected to the sole plate and a free end not directly connected to the sole plate, 
 wherein the free ends are oriented in substantially the same direction such that the free end of each leaf spring is disposed rearward of its connection end, and 
 wherein at least two free ends in a leaf spring group are interconnected by a connection portion extending in a transverse direction from a lateral side of the sole plate to a medial side of the sole plate. 
 
     
     
       13. The sole of  claim 12 , comprising a leaf spring group of two leaf springs that are interconnected at their free ends by a connection portion that extends from the lateral side of the sole plate to the medial side of the sole plate. 
     
     
       14. The sole of  claim 13 , wherein the two leaf springs are arranged side by side in a row extending in a substantially transverse direction between the lateral side of the sole plate and the medial side of the sole plate. 
     
     
       15. The sole of  claim 12 , wherein the leaf spring groups comprise leaf springs arranged in transverse rows extending between the lateral side of the sole plate and the medial side of the sole plate. 
     
     
       16. The sole of  claim 12 , comprising at least one leaf spring group arranged in a forefoot area of the sole plate and at least one leaf spring group arranged in a rearfoot area of the sole plate. 
     
     
       17. The sole of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a plurality of leaf spring groups comprising two or more leaf springs connected to the sole plate and arranged in a rearfoot area of the sole plate; and 
 a plurality of leaf spring groups comprising two or more leaf springs connected to the sole plate and arranged in a forefoot area of the sole plate, 
 wherein leaf springs arranged in the rearfoot area of the sole plate are longer and have a greater distance between their free ends and the sole plate than leaf springs arranged in the forefoot area of the sole plate. 
 
     
     
       18. The sole of  claim 12 , wherein the connection portion is an outsole layer. 
     
     
       19. The sole of  claim 12 , wherein all the leaf springs connected to the sole plate have free ends that are oriented in substantially the same direction such that the free end of each leaf spring is disposed rearward of its connection end. 
     
     
       20. An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper; 
 a sole plate coupled to the upper, the sole plate comprising a plurality of leaf springs disposed in a rearfoot area of the sole plate and a plurality of leaf springs disposed in a forefoot area of the sole plate, wherein each leaf spring disposed on the sole plate has a connection end connected to the sole plate and a free end not directly connected to the sole plate, and wherein all the free ends are oriented in substantially the same direction such that the free end of each leaf spring is disposed rearward of its connection end; and 
 an outsole layer comprising a connection portion connecting the free ends of two leaf springs disposed in the rearfoot area of the sole plate or the free ends of two leaf springs disposed in the forefoot area of the sole plate, wherein the connection portion extends in a transverse direction from a lateral side of the sole plate to a medial side of the sole plate. 
 
     
     
       21. The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein a pair of leaf springs connected to the forefoot area of the sole plate are arranged such that the pair of leaf springs extend from the medial side to the lateral side of the forefoot area of the sole plate. 
     
     
       22. The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the outsole layer comprises a plurality connection portions, each connection portion connecting the free ends of two or more leaf springs and extending from the lateral side of the sole plate to the medial side of the sole plate. 
     
     
       23. The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein leaf springs arranged in the rearfoot area of the sole plate are longer and have a greater distance between their free ends and the sole plate than leaf springs arranged in the forefoot area of the sole plate. 
     
     
       24. The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the sidewall thickness of each leaf spring is greater at its connection end than at its free end. 
     
     
       25. The article of footwear of  claim 20 , comprising:
 a plurality of leaf spring groups comprising two or more leaf springs connected to the sole plate and arranged in the rearfoot area of the sole plate; and 
 a plurality of leaf spring groups comprising two or more leaf springs connected to the sole plate and arranged in the forefoot area of the sole plate. 
 
     
     
       26. The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein a plurality of leaf springs are disposed on the sole plate such that their connection ends are arranged in transverse rows extending between a lateral side of the sole plate and a medial side of the sole plate. 
     
     
       27. The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the leaf springs comprise a foremost positioned leaf spring and a rearmost positioned leaf spring, wherein the foremost leaf spring and the rearmost leaf spring have free ends that are oriented in substantially the same direction such that the free end of each leaf spring is disposed rearward of its connection end, and
 wherein each leaf spring disposed between the foremost leaf spring and the rearmost leaf spring has a free end that is oriented in substantially the same direction as the free ends of the foremost leaf spring and the rearmost leaf spring. 
 
     
     
       28. The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the outsole layer comprises a connection portion connecting the free ends of two leaf springs disposed in the rearfoot area of the sole plate and that extends in a transverse direction from the lateral side of the sole plate to the medial side of the sole plate. 
     
     
       29. The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the outsole layer comprises a connection portion connecting the free ends of two leaf springs disposed in the forefoot area of the sole plate and that extends in a transverse direction from the lateral side of the sole plate to the medial side of the sole plate. 
     
     
       30. The article of footwear of  claim 20 , wherein the outsole layer comprises:
 a first connection portion connecting the free ends of two leaf springs disposed in the rearfoot area of the sole plate and that extends in a transverse direction from the lateral side of the sole plate to the medial side of the sole plate; and 
 a second connection portion connecting the free ends of two leaf springs disposed in the forefoot area of the sole plate and that extends in a transverse direction from the lateral side of the sole plate to the medial side of the sole plate.